10 Essentials for your Backpack

Welcome back to the University of Iowa Collegiates! We hope everyone had a great summer and enjoyed themselves before returning to our lovely campus this fall.

As the school year is starting and your backpack has been left untouched for the past three months, it’s time to open it back up and start packing it with all your school basics (laptop, notebooks, pens, wallet, etc.) and some other essentials that will come in handy. Whether you’re returning or new to campus there are some essentials you should have in your backpack – especially for the everyday woman on the go – that could potentially save the day when life’s little surprises come your way or just to help you through your busy day.

WATER BOTTLE

   A water bottle is so helpful if you’re looking forward to a long day. Save the environment by buying a reusable water bottle that you could fill up at any water fountain on campus and save money by not having to buy a water while you’re going about your day.

AGENDA/PLANNER

An agenda, or planner, is a helpful tool to keep your schedule organized. Keep it in your backpack just in case some changes have been made in the syllabi or plans come up with a friend or student organization.

TAMPONS/PADS

For the monthly visitor that can come as a surprise sometime, you should always be prepared just in case. There’s nothing worst than when it comes during your busy day and you have nothing with you. Also when someone else isn’t prepared you can offer them some of yours. You get to look like a superhero and feel good about helping a woman in need and possibly get a favor out of it, like that episode of Sex and the City Carrie and Sam tried to get a table at a posh New York restaurant. You can cover them up in your bag with a cute tampon/pad holder!

UMBRELLA

Mother Nature likes to play with the weather a lot, especially in Iowa. One second the forecast can say it’s sunny and perfect, the next it’s gloomy and starting to rain. So protect yourself with a packable umbrella that fits in your backpack so you can stay dry as you walk around campus. Yeah it might add a little weight to the bag, but you’re better safe than sorry.

PORTABLE CHARGER AND CORD

If you’re constantly on your phone and chatting in group messages, chances are your phone battery runs a little low when you have a busy schedule. Turn to the portable battery. It’s compact and full of battery life and it can be a lifesaver. If you don’t want to use a portable charger but usually have your laptop with you, bring your charger cord to prevent a dead phone battery.

HEADPHONES/EARBUDS

Want to avoid conversation while walking to class? Stick in some earbuds while you walk to your next class. Studying at the IMU, but only productive when you’re listening to rap music? Slap on some headphones. Definitely the best accessory for your phone and a must have in your backpack at all times. I recommend headphones so your youthful hearing isn’t damaged in the future. Say what?

SNACKS 

Snacks aren’t cheap sometimes, especially when you buy them on campus or at the stores around. But everyone gets hungry eventually throughout their day especially if you have a back-to-back schedule. Pack a small snack with you in a small Ziploc bag or bring some granola or protein bars so you have a pick me up before lunch or dinner or when you have a long study night at the library. Make sure it’s a quiet snack though; there’s nothing more awkward than everyone listening to you opening a bag of chips.

Hand Sanitzer/Lotion/Chapstick

YAS body care necessities! Always wash your hands before eating by having a compact bottle of hand sanitizer to prevent sickness or after touching some sticky stair railings. Lotion for when hand washing dries out your hands and in the winter when the lack of moisture in the air sucks the life out of your hands. Chapstick to make those luscious lips luscious all year round. Have these necessities in your bag so that you can stay healthy!

GUMS/MINTS

When that pizza you ate for lunch leaves you with garlic breath, gum and mints are your best friends after lunch and dinner if you have a schedule that goes until night. Also by keeping gum and chewing gum while you’re taking a test, helps you concentrate and test better according to NBC News. So keep it handy for those test days! It only works with spearmint and minty flavor gums however.

MEDICATION

For the days when the pollen is on high alert or your headache from staring at a computer screen all day, keep some medication with you in your backpack. Also some eye drops if you’re a contact wearer and they dry out after concentrating all day (or falling asleep in class). College isn’t like K-12. There’s no nurse’s office you can go to during the day so it’s handy to keep some medication on you in case anything happens.  

HONORABLE MENTION: PEPPER SPRAY

For those nights you’re out late studying and have a far walk home ahead of you or just for simple defense, pepper spray is another great necessity for your backpack and if you’re on the go. It’s not completely necessary, but it’s a nice addition to your backpack for those long nights and to promote safety on campus. 

Have a great school year collegiates and visit Her Campus UIowa daily for new articles! HCXO